Slack adjuster



Nov." 13, 1923.

W. H. SAUVAGE SLACK ADJUSTER Filed Feb. 6, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 13, 1923. l,41-74,@9

' W. H. SAUVAGE SLACK ADJUSTER Filed Feb. 6 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 13, 1923.

WILLIAM H. SAUVAGE, 033 NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSTGNMEIITS, T0 GOULD COUPLER COMPANY, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

SLACK iinausrnie.

Application filed February 6, 1920.

To aZZ whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, VILLIAM H. SAUV- AGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Slack Adjusters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in slack adjusters and more particularly to that type of slack adjuster applicable to the brake rigging of railway trucks.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a simple and practical form of slack adjuster which will be reliable and eflicient in use and operation.

Another object is to provide an improved form of slack adjuster which may be inexpensively manufactured, assembled and installed upon railway trucks now in general use without material modification.

A further object is to provide a reliable and positively acting slack adjuster mecha nism which will be unaffected by atmospheric conditions and free from possible unreliable action due to sticking of the parts.

Other parts will be in part obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings wherein is shown one of the various possible modifications of the present invention and in which similar reference characters denote corresponding parts,

Figure 1 is a side elevation view showing such parts of a truck and associated brake rigging as is necessary to understantl the present invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the part shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail view showing a sllght modification,

Figure 4 is a detail view showing a part of the adjusting rod and I Figure .5 is a top plan view, partly in section, showing the push rod, adjusting rod and holding means.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the housing with the temporary take up and holding means shown more clearly.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and more particularly to Figure 1, 5 denotes the truck bolster and 6 the associated frame work. This truck is of the two wheel type having wheels '7 adapted to be engaged Serial N0. 356,752.

by brake shoes 8 in a well-known manner, these brake shoes being carried by brakeheads 10 pivotally connected at 11 and 12 to live and dead levers 13 and 14 respectively. The upper end of the live lever 13 connected by means of pull rod 15 with any suitable source of power while the upper end of the dead lever 1 1 is pivotally mounted at 16 to the frame work 6. Thebrake shoe heads are additionally supported by means of hangers 17 and 23. The lower ends of the live and dead levers 13 and l-i are connected by means of a two part telescopic push rod, that is, a solid member 18 is adapted to coact with a tubular member 20, which member is provided with a housing 21 Figures 1 and 5, containing positively acting permanent take-up and holding means such as dogs or shims adapted to coact between the effective ends of the two parts thereby to permit as much relative outward movement of 18 as may be necessary to take up the excess slack, when the brakes are applied and to prevent relative inward movement of rod 18 when release of the bake ex erts an inward push on that rod.

Pivotally supported at 22 is a member 23 which is a combined hanger for the brake shoe head and also an actuating means for an adjusting rod 24 pivotally connected at the lower end thereof by means of pin 29, Figures 2 and 4. v This adjusting rod lies substantially parallel to the rod 18 and passes through an auxiliary housing ussociated with the housing 21 Figures 2 and 5 and is adapted to be engaged by any desired form of positively acting temporary take up and holding means whereby it is free to move in one direction but is held against movement in the opposite direction.

The temporary take-up and holding means illustrated, Fig. 6, is a spring 28 pressing against clutching members engaging rod 24, This spring 28 is adjustable to a grip ping tension against rod 24 sufficient to hold the rod against either outward or inward movement when the brake is in release position. hen, however, the brake is applied, the brake pressure exerted upon rod 24 through 23 is greater than the gripping ten sion of spring 28, and, therefore, in response to this predominating brake pressure, the rod 2% moves outwardly. But upon re lease of the brake and brake pressure, spring 28 functions to prevent a backward or in ward movement of rod 2 The complete brake operation and relative functioning of the parts is as follows:

On application of the brakes the upper end of the live lever 13 moves relatively towards the right to carry the brake shoe into engagement with the periphery of the wheel, the movement being transniiitted through 18, 21 and the telescopic member to the opposite brake shoe in a well-known manner. When excess travel occurs, due to wear of the brake shoes 8 then the hanger 23 moves with the brake shoe an amount corresponding to this excess travel and produce a relative extension of the adjusting rod 24 with respect to its housing 25, it being understood from the foregoing that the rod 24 is free to slip in a general right hand direction only. On release of the brakes the brake shoes drop back to normal position under the action of the usual return springs not shown and as the adjusting rod 24 is held against relative inward movement its associated point of connection 26 with the brake shoe head will act as a fulcrum whereby the lower end of the live lever 13 moves relatively outward to produce an extension of the telescopic push rod. Thus the rod 24: and associated parts serve as a means for temporarily taking up and holding the slack until it is permanently taken up by the telescopic parts. In this manner the rod 24: serves to temporarily take-up and hold the slack until, upon release of the brake, the slack is permanently taken up by the telescopic rod 18, 20.

The form shown in Figure 3 is intended to embody a modified form of extension hanger. Here the hanger 30 corresponding to the hanger 23, Figure 2, is provided with an extension 31 having a lost motion connection 32 with one end of the adjusting rod As shown, the part performs the function of hanger 23, Figure 1, while the lever 341- atthe right functions as a live lever; This arrangement may, however, be reversed, that is, lever 34E maybe extended to a slot connection with the adjusting rod 33 instead of an extension of lever 30, in which case lever 30 would function as the live lever. By either arrangement, the adjusting rod connection is lowered from a point on the brake shoe to the horizontal line of the bottom rod connection. Thus shoe clearance is insured at all times and no slacls will be taken up until after the lost motion is exhausted. The operation is the same as above described, the live lever being positioned parallel to the hanger, as shown in Figure 2.

It is believed that the above will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt the same to various uses and modifications, and the appended claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features thereof that may be comprehended within the range of equivalency.

lVhat I claim is V 1. In a slack adjuster, in combination with a truck frame, live and dead levers, the dead lever being supported from the frame, brake shoe heads, additional hangers there-- for, a telescopic push rod between the ends of the live and dead levers, and an adjusting rod connected with and supported from one of said hangers.

2. In a slack adjuster, in combination with a truck frame, live and dead levers, the dead lever being supported from the frame, brake shoe heads, additional to said lever hangers therefor, a telescopic push rod between the ends of the live and dead levers, an adjusting rodv connectedwith one of said hangers, and means for temporary take up adapted to be actuated by the hanger when excess travel occurs.

3. In a slack adjuster, in combination with a. truck framing, live and dead. levers, said dead lever being supported at one end from the framing, brake shoe heads connected with the live and dead levers and adapted to be moved. thereby, a hanger associated with one of said heads, a telescopic push rod connecting the lower ends of the live and dead levers, said last hanger having an extension beyond the brake shoe head, an adjusting rod connected with said extension adapted to temporarily take up the slack on application of the brakes when excess travel occurs and means for a permanent take up and holding associated with the push rod.

4. In combination, a truck frame, live-and dead levers at opposite sides thereof, a telescopic push rod connecting the lower ends of said live and dead levers, a brake shoe head connected with the live lever, a hanger supporting said head and meansfor temporary take up and holding means adapted to be actuated by the hanger when excess travel occurs.

5. In combination, a truck frame, live and dead levers at opposite sides thereof, a telescopic push rod connecting the lower ends of said live and dead levers, a brake shoe head connected with the live lever, a hanger supporting said head, means for a temporary take up and holding, and means for a permanent take up and holding, the first adapted to be opera-ted on application of the brakes and the second on release of the brakes.

6. In combination, a truck frame, liveand dead levers at opposite sides thereof, a telescopic push rod connecting the lower ends of said live and dead levers, a brake shoe headconnected with the live lever, a hanger supporting said head and means for temporary take up and holding, directly connected with and adapted to be actuated by the hanger when excess travel occurs.

7. In combination, a truck frame, live and dead levers at opposite sides thereof, a tele scopic push rod connecting the lower ends oi said live and dead levers, a brake shoe head connected with the live lever, a hanger supporting said head, a means for temporary take up and holding, and a permanent take up and holding; means, the first adapted to be operated on application of the brakes and the a second on release of the brakes, said means for temporary and for permanent take up and holding both comprising positively actuated devices adapted to permit movement in one direction and to prevent movement in the opposite direction.

8. In combination, a truck frame, live and dead levers at opposite sides thereof, brake shoes thereon, an additional support connected to each brake shoe, a tubular member and associated push rod positioned between the ends of the live and dead levers, an ad justing rod connected with one of said additional supports, means for a temporary take up associated with said adjusting rod, and a permanent take up means associated With said tubular member and push rod.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM H. SAUVAGE.

Witnesses DONALD I. DAVIS, ALFRED E. On. 

